The Remnants of Heroes
by AnonymousAuthor3
Summary: Once, in ages past, perhaps great heroes walked Remnant. Perhaps, when they died, their power was stored in relics, which have become lost in time. Perhaps, these relics are being found once again, ignored and neglected no more. Definitely hoping to add more to this, but I'm both lazy and don't have a good muse. Sorry for infrequent updates.
1. The Tempest Awakens

**Chapter 1: The Tempest Awakens**

 _?_

The the night was dark, and quite honestly a little dreary for the resting spirit which was within the blackened helm. They had been passed by for centuries, lying forgotten within a small pawn shop, doing nothing and seeing little more than the dark corner they were in. The shopkeeper had moved their vessel multiple times, but never had it been noticed. They had hoped that their unique shape and colouring would lead them to being noticed, but it seemed that this world had no interest in such artifacts. It was just their luck that those who had the potential to use them didn't even touch the horned helmet, inconspicuously placed among other pieces of armor, most radically different. In fact, they knew for a fact that every single artifact about them was not only uninhabited and nonmagical, but also that every single one was _not_ a helmet. Perhaps that was it? Were helmets not favoured in this culture?

The spirit pondered, even as the old shopkeeper once again went about to dust off the older pieces, which much to their chagrin included themself. It would be after hours now, and so everything would be closing down once again, no more prospects to appear for another lonely night. That was when the ghost heard something most unusual. The bell to the shop had just rung, despite the fact that they knew no one entered this late. In fact, they were sure that the shopkeeper had left.

They heard the footsteps, as well as the door that was gently closed, so as not to further disturb the bells. They were wearing odd shoes, they realized, as there was a clink with every tap against the concrete floor. However, their surprise came from the fact that they _felt_ the power that was slowly and quietly approaching their resting place. It radiated from them like a tempest, reacting to the deepest parts of their being. They realized one thing, their own power beginning to manifest like a beacon:

" _This is the one!"_

This sole thought was all-encompassing, as even after such a long time one finally requires their power. And then finally, they set their gaze upon their chosen wielder. An elder child, almost to the age of adulthood, her black hair almost invisible in the near darkness. Amber eyes stared into their 'eyes,' and a near-pale hand slipped out to grasp them. As soon as it touched, the spirit felt their existence change, bonding with that of their wielder. A white light encompassed their vision bringing them into the embrace of a soul.

 _Cinder Fall_

This was something she had not experienced before. As someone with the power of a Maiden, she could sense the latent power of this world, and it is what led her here. She had felt a dormant power in the area, but until yesterday she had not been able to confirm its location. Once she knew where it was, it was a simple matter to return at a later time to steal it, no harm done, at least to her. But this white light, this emptiness, was something that scared her. She had not expected anything like this to happen, and she didn't know what to do. She looked around, seeing nothing but more white. However, as she looked back at the direction she assumed she came from, she saw a dark figure.

It was a feminine figure, just under her own height, shrouded in black mist. Besides general shape and height, only one thing was distinguishable in the black mist. The selfsame helmet that she was drawn to was situated upon this being's head, adorning them with a warlike countenance. An odd, distorted voice seemed to cross the boundary between them, catching her attention. "So, you are the one who seeks to inherit my power?" There was skepticism there, but it was accompanied by eagerness, as if this being wanted to be released, but was not sure of the means by which it could be.

She would reply, of course. How could she not, when the power she is seeking is right in front of her. "Yes, I came here with the intention of securing you. My wish is for power, and your very existence is power ripe for use." She realized that she was being blunt, but this being somehow struck her as someone who values that. "Your power will allow me to take what has been rightfully mine all along, and to strike down those people who would get in my way."

The being paused, before seemingly fading away. Even as it did so, however, the horned, dragon-like helmet remained, floating in the air where it once was. Cinder, not one to hesitate, immediately moved to retrieve it. She still felt the power floating through it, but instead of being locked and dormant, it seemed to awaken at her touch. She slipped the helmet upon her head, and suddenly she was back inside the dark store.

She didn't know when it happened, but her entire body felt both lighter and heavier. Rather than simply a repository for energy, her soul seemed to be actively flexing its muscles, her aura meter already attempting to deal with the errors it seemed to have concluded existed. What changed most, however, was the idea that, somewhere, she was not alone. She had something in her head, simply watching and waiting for the right moment.

Then something struck her. Her mind halted on a piece of information, one that it had most assuredly not gathered. A technique that was gained from interfacing with that being. A power far beyond even her own Maiden's powers, simply due to its utility and subtlety. A skill known by a simple name, and yet one that those that recognize it fear for its strength: Mana Burst.

 **A/N**

Please read, review, and have a good day. Also, if I made a mistake in grammar, please inform me as soon as possible. I'll correct it and reupload. Thanks! Honestly, this probably isn't that good, and extremely short, but I wrote it in one night on a burst of inspiration, so… yeah.


	2. Mistakes and Roadblocks

**Chapter 2: Mistakes and Roadblocks**

 _CInder Fall_

Cinder was not quite sure when, but at some point she had left the old, nearly unnoticeable store. The helm was donned upon her head, quite unusual as almost no one she knew had ever worn any sort of head protection. She leapt across rooftops, using their close proximity as a way to get around the large city mostly undetected. Just before she arrived at the bullhead docks, she dropped to the ground in a small alley. Inside was a small bag, with her uniform folded up inside it. It would not due to be so conspicuous, after all.

She slipped on the Haven uniform over the pitch black clothing she already had on, making sure that no one would notice her while doing so. While she did so, the helm, that vessel for the being, was also doffed and placed into the now empty bag. Slipping the straps over her shoulder, she calmly walked towards the bullhead, already planning out how her new knowledge may help her with her goals. One thing she didn't count on, however, was how the knowledge she had gained left her along with the helm she had taken off. Yes, her body was still overproducing Aura and yes, she still had the power to use the technique, but somehow not being in contact with the helmet made her unable to remember quite _how_ to do it, despite still knowing its name.

She pondered this, even as she stepped onto the bullhead and it took off, right on time as usual. There were a few other students around, and even one of the substitute teachers. All of the others were either yawning or nodding off, but she was fully alert, trying to figure out the mystery that had presented itself to her. Her hand reached into the bag, touching the helm once again. As her fingers slipped on the cold metal surface, the knowledge that she was seeking flowed back into her. So it requires touch to be usable, at least in its full capacity. Good to note.

She still felt the presence in her head, assuming it to the be the being. And, well, if she couldn't figure out what was going on, then perhaps the other could. _Spirit? Are you there?_ She concentrated on those words, as if trying to send them to another place despite being in her head.

A response floated back, almost as if they were waiting for a call. _It is quite unbefitting that one tempest should quitely call to another. Trepidation is not something that is found in the raging winds, and so it also should not be found in you or I._ Once again, the firm, but distorted voice rang out in her head. While the chastisement was most certainly not nice or gentle, it was not meant in ill will, that much she could understand. And so, she responded in kind.

 _Perhaps you should forgive me for not understanding something I had never encountered. You yourself are quite odd, and I never would expect something like you to even exist normally._ She spoke candidly, and with confidence, knowing that that was what was necessary at the time. _Perhaps I would be more confident in speaking if I knew who I was speaking to?_ She left it as a question, but normally she would demand such a thing. When a spirit gives you power, it is not the most prudent thing to anger it.

And as usual, the response came quite quickly, although this one most certainly seemed like more of a rebuke. _If you do not already know my name, then you have not proven yourself worthy of it. My name carries great power, enough to annihilate entire armies and raze whole cities. It would not due to one unproven to make my power their own. Our own bond is only at its weakest, for you have not even learned who I am._ Their tone was that of slight annoyance, as though it was obvious to them that this was the case. Cinder found herself quite irritated at this, but restrained herself for the time being.

Her hand left the helm, and the presence retreated, connection severed. They were almost back at Beacon now, and she wanted to maintain her composure. It wouldn't do to ruin her reputation, after bullhead came to a stop, allowing its passengers onto the floating island. She stepped off, the various people around hr doing the same. She began to walk towards her room, her casual gait ensuring that she would not be found suspicious.

 _?_

She was not at all sure what to make of her new host. Despite being a patient soul, the spirit had been waiting for centuries. When one has been abandoned for so long, it is quite difficult to find the time to wait, especially when such a perfect and unique host appears. In fact, if she were being honest, she may have been too hasty in releasing and granting even a small portion of her power. Quite an embarrassing thing, to be sure, but not something that couldn't be fixed, normally…

She was quite puzzled when it came to her host, to be honest. They seemed to be someone with a strong reason to fight, and to beat those evil ones who hold power in this world. At the same time, however, she also breaks every rule that one such as this spirit is bound to follow. Even beyond that, however, was the fact that she could not recall her power. She recognized it after the fact, but after granting even a little power, a connection was established to it. Due to her own state, all she can do is withhold her power, as even rescinding it is beyond her.

She could not disconnect from her vessel either, as connected as she was. Normally, by disconnecting from a host, one could break the ropes of power that were being drained from the, but in this case her vessel was not allowing her. It is quite disturbing, being forced to be a backseat driver in all this. Unable to help as she was, it was as though she were never found at all. Her own host was someone who, while they may be fighting to destroy those who are evil, it is only a means to an end. With power being the only thing that they desire, it will inevitably lead to innocent blood being spilled.

Then, the warrior spirit paused. It felt others out there. Others like it, that someone its wielder did not sense. Perhaps warriors in this world can only sense those spirits that they can bond with? A notion for another time. The largest problem was that it sensed many more than would be normally found at one point. She even felt one similar to herself, standing out even further in the crowd. This place is quite crowded, she realized. Many spirits and many hosts, all in one place. Perhaps it will be elaborated upon later?

 **A/N**

I wasn't sure when I was going to continue this, and I might go and combine this chapter and the last, just to give it a little more sense in the story, but I'll wait a week or so for that, at least. Thanks to those of you who read, and especially to those of you who reviewed. Have a good day!

 **Guest Responses**

 _Guest_ : Thank you for pointing that out, as I didn't realize that until then. Somehow, I had the impression that she was kinda like Salter (Am I the only one who calls her that?), but I guess not. I'll do my best to work with that in the future.

 _Giuseppe_ : I'm sorry, but even with Google Translate helping me my Spanish is terrible. You read this, so I'm near certain you understand English (no offense, but I've read stories piece by piece through a translator before). I'll do you a favor and try not to offend you by murdering your language. To clarify, I do not have a specific limit in mind, but for Cinder at least she will be stuck in a rut with her abilities for quite a while. It is hard for a Chaotic Evil to prove that they deserve the power of a Lawful Good, after all. Thanks for the response and advice!

 _CaptainBorisson_ : Thank you very much for the generous review, and I hope you enjoy this chapter just as much as the last.


	3. Unexpected Research Methods

**Chapter 3: Unexpected Research Methods**

 _Cinder Fall_

The raven-haired inheritor was extremely bored. There was simply no other way to put it! Professor Port, who was supposed to be teaching the class about Grimm and fighting them, was off on _yet another_ story! The worst part of it was the continuous stream of flirty winks and self-praise he seemed to generously give out. Even when she tried to distract herself from her _annoyance_ by communicating with the spirit, she only received back what she felt. A mix of absolute restlessness and brutal irritation. And so, when he called for a challenger, just he seemed to always do (after remembering what he was actually doing), Cinder raised her hand without hesitation. She knew it was in the plan to lay low, especially for her, but at this point she couldn't be bothered to care.

When she was called down, she didn't bother with changing out of her uniform, in fact barely managing to regain the self control to put up the act of picking up her weapons from under the pseudo-desk that she was assigned. However, in her irritation and scramble to maintain her composure and therefore her reputation, she did not realize that the weapon she had grabbed was not a sword at all. Rather than the slender twin blades she was used to, she beheld a large glass construct much like a spear. The black weapon was obviously unwieldy, with a lengthy handle which exceeded her arm in length. The rest of the weapon was no better, with a wide guard that doubled her arm in width, gradually tapering down to a sharp point after 8 feet. In addition to its sharp point, there were multiple glass spikes buried within and through the lance, whether a aesthetics or to improve its effectiveness she did not know.

With the unfamiliar weapon in hand, she turned towards her opponent, who was as of yet rampaging within its cage. From the cries, it seemed to be a Beowolf, something that would pose no trouble to her with her normal weaponry. Leveling the unfamiliar weapon towards the cage, she found herself at ease with it. Arms that would normally be clueless seemed to instinctively find the best way to hold the unbalanced spear, as well as more than the strength required. She got the feeling that she should be on horseback, but ignored it in favour of focusing on the fight ahead. The padlock was broken, and her opponent streaked towards her. While it was fast, it was slow compared to the charge of a Boarbatusk, and even that she could keep up with. However, she needed to let of steam.

Rather than aiming for a single killing blow, she waited patiently for it to barrel into her range. As its claws reached out to touch the ground once more, she burst into motion, her absurdly huge weapon stretching forward to bury itself into an outstretched paw. The limb was jackhammered into the ground, and in response to her spear being forced straight up she simply followed the motion, using the lance like a professional pole vaulter in a tournament. Letting go, her heels slammed into the Beowolf's jaw. Her momentum was only enough to knock it to the ground for a second before it began struggling once again, the impact doing almost nothing to the impaled creature.

In response, the Grimm swung its free claw at the lance, attempting to free itself. And, while the weapon holding its paw was dislodged, one of the large spikes along the circular edge was caught in the skin, leaving damage even as its movements were freed. With a howl, it leapt after the once again grounded Cinder, who barely managed to maintain her balance thanks to the imbalance the weapon's size created. With her weapon out of position and scraping the floor, she cursed her lack of clarity as she once again used the unlearned instinctive training that had appeared in her head to stab the weapon into the ground and and jump, once again using the momentum and force generated to maneuver out of the way of her berserk attacker.

In response, the Beowolf howled, stalling itself before leaping through the air towards Cinder. Without hesitation, the host raised her spiked weapon, which was now perfectly positioned to face the charging Grimm. She raised it high, bracing herself before thrusting forward, when suddenly she felt her Aura _jolt_. A burst of energy whirled around her, her attack propelling her far faster and further than she intended. In a flash, she had impaled the Grimm, tearing a hole so far into it that its dissolving maw was nearly touching her face. When gravity once again took hold, she managed to just barely let go and leap away, leaving the disintegrating corpse and her weapon to fall to the ground, the remaining weight shattering the glass structure. As looked at it, her eyes widened upon seeing a familiar black helmet, and so she quickly used her Semblance to reform the entirety of the dust-infused glass she had used to make the weapon into a perfect orb, nearly double the size of the helm encased within.

Said orb rolled towards her, coming to rest beside her, a solid mass seemingly possessing liquid properties. Bringing her gaze up to Port's appraising glance, she readied herself to make an explanation. However, before she had to, he turned back to the (mostly) shocked crowd. His voice bellowed out, approval obvious in its tone. "And here we see a rising star, someone who exemplifies the traits a Huntsman should endeavor to acquire!" As the clapping and general noise level began to increase, the Professor turned back to her, motioning for her to return to her seat. "Thank you for your demonstration, young lady."

 _The Black Helm_

The spirit was both presently surprised and filled with a sense of caution. The reason for surprise was quite obvious, as its host was not one prone to such actions, or so it had perceived. It had already concluded from the conversations that the girl had with her teammates last night that not only a patient and composed person, but abnormally so. She had every stage direction in her tragedy planned out, and was prepared to wait for each and every part to be fulfilled. Of course, this revealed that the mistake that the spirit had made was truly a mistake, as its host's plans were definitely not on the nicer side. While she acknowledged that she needed power to defeat and surpass any other, the route that she is using is absolutely unnecessary. Unfortunately, there is not much that the spirit can do, confined as it is.

Another surprising factor was her host's choice of weapon. As it already knew, her wielder preferred to use a pair of short swords, or alternatively, a bow. However, when she did not actively think about what she was making, it seemed to automatically make the weapon that she knew best. Or, rather, it made the one her soul knew best. And now that she was bonded with the spirit, that weapon happened to be a glass lance nearly identical to the one it possessed in life. In fact, not only was the weapon surprising, but also her skill with it. Somehow, her host inherited not only the idea for the weapon, but also its skills with said weapon. Even the inadvertent use of Mana Burst was incredible, due to the fact that she was not technically in contact with the helm at the time. Perhaps their souls have to be in contact, such as Semblance and Aura increasing the range? Something to contemplate another time.

At the moment, however, the spirit felt the spirits around it shifting. Very few were active, only three in the entire school complex besides itself. The others, however dormant they may have been, were the ones creating new activity. Odds are they were spirits that were 'sleeping,' much as it had until its wielder had awakened it. Most specifically, a set of spirits were awakening, much to the remnant's general irritation. It could sense which ones specifically, finding the unaware hosts as its own made her way back to her seat.

There were at least three different ghosts stirring, all of which were quickly and purposefully located. The first was by the side of a young blond boy, inhabiting a slightly glowing sheath. The glow was faint, almost unnoticeable if you were not looking for it, but the spirit's keen gaze found it. The sheath exuded a sense of purity, which was now beginning to slowly awaken and bond with its owner. By its own estimate, the awakening would not finish for another day or so, but it was always something to take note of.

The second candidate was perhaps the exact opposite of the first. Rather than someone who exudes innocence and purity, this young lady was perhaps more on the rogue or sensuous side, and most definitely on purpose. She was purposefully flaunting her assets, her own outfit proving that she was ready for anything, if anything happened to be a wooing. Her vest left much more of her cleavage out than most would be comfortable with, and ended several inches above her navel, and her lower half just as (un)covered. Her eyes surveyed the crowd, watching with excitement and amusement something she saw. Blissfully unaware, however, of how a pair of unique golden bracers, set just above her weaponized bracelets, were giving off a deep crimson blow. The spirit felt the chaos that the awakening ghost gave off, as clear as day to someone with its senses.

The final candidate was a young girl, sitting right next to the blonde woman. She was younger than anyone else in the room by at least a year, and her enthusiasm rivaled that of anyone else. In fact, it may surpass that of the others. Her gaze was locked onto the opaque orb that the ghost inhabited, her eyes shining with unconcealed curiosity. It was due to this attentive curiosity that she did not notice the golden straps to her corset-like coverings, which were softly glowing with a reddish-golden light, much like a rising sun. Elegance and pride flowed from the ghost hidden within, but beyond that was the perhaps overbearing sense of goodwill, a desire to show that one is worthy, and to defend others.

There was only one thing that the spirit could conclude: this is certainly going to be exciting, if nothing else.

 **A/N**

Just so you know, updates probably won't be as frequent, unless it's the weekends. During the weekends, if I have the time, I'll try to get out at least one chapter a day, but no promises about the weekdays, as I have school and it consumes a lot of time. Thank you for reading, and have a nice day!

 **Guest Responses**

 _SameGuest_ : Thank you for informing me, once again. I'll be honest, I haven't really visited the subreddits very often. I often get my sources from the wikis and things like that. Probably not the best source, but thankfully I have gracious readers like you to correct me on what I get wrong. My question to you is this: what do they call the new Summer Jeanne d'Arc Alter Berserker? I've been puzzling over that, but I wouldn't know where to look to find the answer. At any rate, thank you once again, and have a good day!


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